Google has been told to ‘rewrite history’ by deleting web links which might upset or embarrass anyone.

The internet giant today lost a court battle which granted a complainant the ‘right to be forgotten’.

It means Google or other search engines, such as Bing and Yahoo!, could be forced to remove some results when certain names are searched.

Privacy campaigners welcomed the principle that links to out-of-date or incorrect information might be deleted but others warned that it could be used to cover up wrongdoing and stifle free speech.

Big Brother Watch said: ‘If we start to make intermediaries responsible for the actions or the content of other people, you’re establishing a model that leads to greater surveillance and a risk of censorship.’

The ruling, which was given by the European courts and cannot be appealed, follows a complaint brought by Spaniard Mario Costeja Gonzalez.

He was upset when a Google search for his name brought up a link to a 1998 story about unpaid debts that he says have long since been settled.

The court ruled individuals should be able to request irrelevant or incorrect personal information be taken down from search engine results.

It rejected Google’s argument that it only provided links and was not responsible for what web users found when they clicked on them.

Google called it ‘a disappointing ruling for search engines and online publishers in general’.

The European Commission is considering a formal ‘right to be forgotten’ law to enshrine the rights recommended yesterday but British ministers are pushing for an opt-out.